Tendai Rupapa in ZANZIBAR

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s gallant work to empower and protect the rights of widows has earned her recognition and an invitation to be a special guest speaker at the high-level first-of-its-kind session of The African Widows Summit (TAWS) in Zanzibar.

The mother of the nation got a standing ovation after her presentation which was supported by a video clip showing initiatives she is spearheading for widows through her Widows Association which is giving hope to the women.

Dr Mnangagwa formed the First Lady’s Widows Association to equip widows with knowledge and skills to sustain themselves and their families after the demise of their spouses.

Organisers of the summit described the creation of an enabling environment and safe spaces for widows as critical, hence the decision to invite Dr Mnangagwa as a special guest speaker so that other African countries could learn more from her since she is fighting hard to empower widows.

Amai Mnangagwa’s initiatives, which were shown in a documentary, captured the imagination of the summit which drew together many high-ranking officials, including the President of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the First Lady Mrs Mariam Mwinyi, the spouse of the Deputy President of Kenya Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, former Tanzania First Lady Anna Mkapa, former First Lady of Sierra Leone Isatu Jabbie Kabba, United Nations representatives, African Union representatives and government ministers from different African countries.

Addressing the summit as a special guest speaker, Dr Mnangagwa described widowhood as a critical issue affecting millions of women.

“We are gathered here to discuss widowhood, a critical issue that affects millions of women across our continent. I stand here with a deep commitment to reforming the African space for widows, ensuring their rights, protection and empowerment.

“This inaugural and historic event marks the trajectory that I have devoted the existence of my office since inception, that of the inclusion of widows in once restricted spaces,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said widowhood was a prevalent and complex issue that transcended borders.

“When a woman loses her spouse, she often finds herself in vulnerable and marginalised situations. The challenges widows face are multifaceted and they encounter harmful practices rooted in prejudice.

“These in turn perpetuate discrimination, economic deprivation, and social isolation. Widows are denied their rightful inheritance in many regions owing to customary laws.

“Land, a crucial means of production, remains elusive for a woman with a deceased spouse. Widows struggle to access justice and healthcare services. Their vulnerability increases, especially among the poor and illiterate in rural areas. Deprivation of entitlements as wives and mothers hinders widows’ access to family assets. Consequentially, this robs them of self-dignity and personhood,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said she believed widowhood did not incapacitate a woman but rather amplified her qualities and traits to become the backbone of the home. A woman’s strength, she said, is displayed in trying times such as these and it is the nurturing traits of a woman that holds the household together.

“Ladies and gentlemen, death happens to all and no woman should be victimised for losing their spouse.

“ I have always advocated the inclusion of women and their shift from marginalisation and vulnerability to empowerment brings financial independence. I launched the First Lady’s Widows Association in my country with the aim of this association being not to reinforce self-pity but the total transformation of the mindset of widows, producing well-rounded women with a purpose.

“I work with motivational speakers and with the aid of partners, I launched businesses and established skills training for them. I partnered with one of the open universities in my country to launch free learning and many widows have taken advantage of this initiative to start business projects. This has seen a lot of widows regain self-confidence and I am proud to be part of their journey to self-reclamation,” she said.

Widows, Amai Mnangagwa said, are often marginalised and face social stigma, economic hardship and violence.

“Many widows struggle to access basic resources such as healthcare, education, and employment, leaving them vulnerable and at risk of further marginalisation. This is a systemic issue that requires our urgent attention and action.

“Despite these challenges, widows are resilient, strong and hard-working. They are the backbone of our communities, holding families together in the face of adversity and displaying unmatched courage and determination.

“My office remains committed to implementing holistic solutions working with the Government of Zimbabwe to empower widows and transform their lives. I also held awareness workshops to protect widows’ rights through the First Lady’s Inheritance Programme aimed at providing legal awareness to widows to conscientise them on their constitutional rights once their spouses are deceased.

“I target geographically disadvantaged areas where information is not easily accessible. In addition, through initiatives such as Agric4She (agriculture for women only), I continue to advocate comprehensive land rights, ensuring that widows inherit land and break the cycle of poverty.

My office continuously emphasises education and health awareness campaigns to challenge harmful practices,” she said.

Through educating communities, the mother of the nation said, it was possible to shift perceptions and promote empathy.

“My partnership with local and international doctors provides free wellness checks and breast and cervical cancer screening for women of all ages, including widows. Health is a fundamental right, and I strive to ensure its accessibility. My office conducts vocational training and entrepreneurship for widows because economic empowerment enhances their self-sufficiency and resilience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to recognise and celebrate the incredible contributions of widows in our societies, and to ensure that they are given the support and opportunities they need to thrive. As we gather here today at the African Widows Summit, let us commit ourselves to reforming the African space for widows.

“Let us work together to challenge harmful norms and practices that perpetuate the marginalisation of widows and to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all women, regardless of their marital status. Let us advocate policies and programmes that give widows access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and social support. This enables them to live with dignity and independence.

“Through initiatives such as microfinance programmes, skills training workshops, and legal advocacy services, all these working to empower widows to rebuild their lives and secure a brighter future for themselves and their families. But there is still much work to be done.

“Let us stand in solidarity with widows across Africa, and let us commit ourselves to creating a more just, equitable, and compassionate society for our women.

“Together, we can reform the African space for widows, and ensure that they are respected, supported, and empowered to live with dignity and pride,” she said to thunderous applause.

The Zanzibar First Lady Mrs Mwinyi showered her Zimbabwean counterpart with praises for her hard work which had transformed the lives of widows.

Mrs Mwinyi emulated Amai Mnangagwa’s works saying she would love to replicate some of the works in Zanzibar.

“What Dr Mnangagwa is doing for the women of Zimbabwe is very inspiring. First, it is commendable for her to be involved in widow’s issues.

“In Africa, we share the same challenges and problems and through the documentary which was aired, we have seen that she has embarked on helping the widows on a large scale. What a blessing to the women of Zimbabwe. I would say congratulations to Dr Mnangagwa,” she said.

Ms Ify Onyegbue, a Nigerian delegate also commended Amai Mnangagwa for being a people person and for her non-selective approach.

“I would say before we entered the conference when I saw the First Lady of Zimbabwe, it was amazing because this is the woman I read about in the news that has to do with Zimbabwe.

“I follow her works with keen interest. The things that she is doing with women and of course with the people of the country is out of this world.

“It was amazing to see her today and learn a lot from her. Her work is beautiful that is what First Ladies should do to connect with the local people, know what they are doing and find a way to appeal to their conscience,” she said happily.

Former Tanzanian First Lady Anna Mkapa said the conversation on widows was a long overdue initiative.

“Widows across the continent face challenges such as legal, financial, harmful traditional practices affecting their health and property rights issues.

“We need comprehensive strategies to address these challenges. We need to embark on strategies to promote gender equality. The issue of child marriages has to be addressed too.

“Property rights affect widows which leads to poverty and other forms of hardships. Some even lose children to their husband’s relatives. Social stigma is another challenge faced by widows due to social beliefs that associate widows with bad luck.

“They have limited access to essential services like healthcare and economic support. Their challenges start from inheriting their husband’s properties. There is a need for a comprehensive approach so that widows access their rights and resources, hence they need to be supported. We need to provide widows with property ownership rights,” she said.

Mrs Rigathi said widowhood affected everyone.

“In Africa, we have various socio-economic challenges and one of them is we have accidents, we have drug and substance abuse and other related issues that bring widowhood and as I stand here, I want to say that widowhood doesn’t respect race, it doesn’t respect gender, religion, colour or status so we are candidates of widowhood whether you are a man or even a woman. It is important that we have policies for widows that work to ensure we honour that space,” she said. – Herald